1. < Heart & Blood Health

I have a very high calcium score. What next?

Posted by dpframing @dpframing, Aug 24, 2018

Just joined the site and I'm looking to share with others who have had a high calcium score. I found out today that mine is 2996 and I am scared by this. I am 61 and I am totally asymptomatic. Now I feel like a walking time bomb. I am thinking of requesting an angiogram to see if there's any narrowing anywhere and if it can be corrected with a stent. After a second heart doctor told me that the plaque buildup might be uniform over the course of years with no big problem areas, I am encouraged. But the score still freaks me out, specifically my LAD at 1333. I don't smoke or drink but I have to lose 40 lbs.

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ahl | @ahl | Jul 29, 2023

My doctor put me on vitamin K2. I had already been on a statin for 20 years and have very good cholesterol numbers but an high LAD score and my blood pressure was well controlled. She said K2 helps to dissolve plagues. Her goal is to put all cardiologists out of business. PS her husband is a cardiologist! I’ll be going for another calcium test in the fall so we’ll see if there is any progress. I take a D3K2 combo since I was also low in vitamin D. It can’t hurt and it might help. I also eat wisely. Heart disease runs in both sides of my family but I’ve made it to almost 80 following her advice so I’ll continue to do so.

REPLY
3 replies
mayoconnectuser1 | @mayoconnectuser1 | Jul 29, 2023
In reply to @ahl "My doctor put me on vitamin K2. I had already been on a statin for 20..." + (show)
@ahl

My doctor put me on vitamin K2. I had already been on a statin for 20 years and have very good cholesterol numbers but an high LAD score and my blood pressure was well controlled. She said K2 helps to dissolve plagues. Her goal is to put all cardiologists out of business. PS her husband is a cardiologist! I’ll be going for another calcium test in the fall so we’ll see if there is any progress. I take a D3K2 combo since I was also low in vitamin D. It can’t hurt and it might help. I also eat wisely. Heart disease runs in both sides of my family but I’ve made it to almost 80 following her advice so I’ll continue to do so.

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ahl ... reducing plaque is always a good goal. My reading, however indicates calcified plaques cannot be reduced.

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christianzane | @christianzane | Jul 30, 2023
In reply to @ahl "My doctor put me on vitamin K2. I had already been on a statin for 20..." + (show)
@ahl

My doctor put me on vitamin K2. I had already been on a statin for 20 years and have very good cholesterol numbers but an high LAD score and my blood pressure was well controlled. She said K2 helps to dissolve plagues. Her goal is to put all cardiologists out of business. PS her husband is a cardiologist! I’ll be going for another calcium test in the fall so we’ll see if there is any progress. I take a D3K2 combo since I was also low in vitamin D. It can’t hurt and it might help. I also eat wisely. Heart disease runs in both sides of my family but I’ve made it to almost 80 following her advice so I’ll continue to do so.

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You might want to further investigate that claim as I haven't seen any definitive proof that K2 (MK-7) can remove or regress calcium, I remember reading a study posted from the American Heart Association about that recently so here it is. I think the goal with a high CAC score is to stabilize soft plaque with statins which in turn actually increases calcium buildup, but the calcification seems to be more stable then that gooey stuff that breaks off and causes all sorts of trouble.
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/04/25/despite-hopes-vitamin-k2-supplements-fail-to-slow-calcium-buildup-in-heart-valve

REPLY
1 reply
ahl | @ahl | Jul 31, 2023
In reply to @christianzane "You might want to further investigate that claim as I haven't seen any definitive proof that..." + (show)
@christianzane

You might want to further investigate that claim as I haven't seen any definitive proof that K2 (MK-7) can remove or regress calcium, I remember reading a study posted from the American Heart Association about that recently so here it is. I think the goal with a high CAC score is to stabilize soft plaque with statins which in turn actually increases calcium buildup, but the calcification seems to be more stable then that gooey stuff that breaks off and causes all sorts of trouble.
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/04/25/despite-hopes-vitamin-k2-supplements-fail-to-slow-calcium-buildup-in-heart-valve

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Thank you for your reply and for the feedback. I read the article which deals with the heart valve. Fortunately, I don’t have that issue. I have only one artery with a cholesterol issue, the LAD. All of my tests, and they were extensive, showed a heart working well especially for a female my age — no symptoms. I’ll continue to watch for additional research and info for K2 and heart disease. In the meantime, I’ll follow my doctor’s recommendation. It can’t hurt.

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1 reply
rashida | @rashida | Jul 31, 2023
In reply to @alaskat "Hi, I have a 1525 CAC. Cardiologist number one didn't want to perform any stress test..." + (show)
@alaskat

Hi, I have a 1525 CAC. Cardiologist number one didn't want to perform any stress test and said I should not waste my time and money and go for an angiogram to actually see the percentage blockage in my arteries. Sound too progressive for me. Cardiologist number two perform all tests and came back normal BUT he saw on the imaging a small dark spot. He suggested I have an angiogram so he send me back to cardiologist number one. I will have my angiogram Tuesday June 27th. It is the best way to know for sure if there is blockage or not. All other suggestions are from mortals like me who does not wish to have an angiogram, I have read "How to beat the heart attack gene" book. Interesting read. On a very good healthy diet, I exercise, and the whole bit. I had cardiologist number two swear to me that if the blockage is not high (70%) hew will let me go home. We will see. My suggestion for peace of mind get an angiogram or catheterization.

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In my experience, cardiologists - and doctors in general too, are more proactive with male cardiac health, especially here in Canada. We do not get to choose which tests to get - procedures depend on the government health plan - OHIP in Ontario.

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christianzane | @christianzane | Aug 1, 2023
In reply to @ahl "Thank you for your reply and for the feedback. I read the article which deals with..." + (show)
@ahl

Thank you for your reply and for the feedback. I read the article which deals with the heart valve. Fortunately, I don’t have that issue. I have only one artery with a cholesterol issue, the LAD. All of my tests, and they were extensive, showed a heart working well especially for a female my age — no symptoms. I’ll continue to watch for additional research and info for K2 and heart disease. In the meantime, I’ll follow my doctor’s recommendation. It can’t hurt.

Jump to this post

That's great you are asymptomatic, that study says that K2 "suggests" it may help with calcium issues in arteries (and not valves) but that's pretty weak language.

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ani04 | @ani04 | Aug 1, 2023
In reply to @ahl "My doctor put me on vitamin K2. I had already been on a statin for 20..." + (show)
@ahl

My doctor put me on vitamin K2. I had already been on a statin for 20 years and have very good cholesterol numbers but an high LAD score and my blood pressure was well controlled. She said K2 helps to dissolve plagues. Her goal is to put all cardiologists out of business. PS her husband is a cardiologist! I’ll be going for another calcium test in the fall so we’ll see if there is any progress. I take a D3K2 combo since I was also low in vitamin D. It can’t hurt and it might help. I also eat wisely. Heart disease runs in both sides of my family but I’ve made it to almost 80 following her advice so I’ll continue to do so.

Jump to this post

I’m always interested in healthy alternatives, please post your progress after re testing. Cheers and all the best .

REPLY
markdeegan | @markdeegan | Aug 2, 2023

K2 to some degree lowers calcification. Unfortunately, that means that uncalcified plaque will be there instead. Uncalcified plaque is unstable plaque.
Statins calcify plaque, thereby making it more stable. There is probably no real way to remove calcified plaque, which is in effect, a rock…

REPLY
1 reply
christianzane | @christianzane | Aug 10, 2023
In reply to @markdeegan "K2 to some degree lowers calcification. Unfortunately, that means that uncalcified plaque will be there instead...." + (show)
@markdeegan

K2 to some degree lowers calcification. Unfortunately, that means that uncalcified plaque will be there instead. Uncalcified plaque is unstable plaque.
Statins calcify plaque, thereby making it more stable. There is probably no real way to remove calcified plaque, which is in effect, a rock…

Jump to this post

Calcified plaque can be removed with rotational atherectomy which inserts a device into the artery and sands it down.

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ndealw | @ndealw | Aug 11, 2023

When I got my test results back I got kinda freaked out because my CAD score was 595 and anything over 300 was considered high risk. Until I joined this group, I had no idea it was possible for scores to be over 1000 and 2000. I am 68 and asymptomatic, but my dad died of a heart attack at my age, and my brother had a heart attack at 44 (heavy smoker and alchoholic, and I am neither) My lipids are pretty good on 20 mg Rosuvastatin and ezatimbe, except for my Lipoprotein a which is greater than 600nmol/L, which statins don't affect. My cardiologist wants to put me on Leqvio which targets Lipoprotein a, but my insurance won't cover it, plus it seems like it's still in the experimental stage and there doesn't seem to be proof at this point that it actually lowers risk of heart attack or stroke. My cardiologist also says there is a new one that will be available in about a year, but again it will take time to get risk outcome data. I have a tendency to get bad leg cramps that may be attributable to the statin, and I'd love to at least reduce my dose. Sometimes it seems like there's not much point in all these medications, because they can't prove that they lower risk, but the doctors have to do SOMETHING when your scores come back high. So far I am enjoying this forum, and find it somewhat reassuring, so I'll keep reading!!

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